Rev. Peter Morales, senior minister of Jefferson Unitarian Church in Golden, CO, was elected today to be the eighth president of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (UUA) at the Association's General Assembly (GA) in Salt Lake City.

Morales received a total of 2061 votes, 1020 of which were cast as absentee ballots. His opponent, Rev. Dr. Laurel Hallman, formerly senior minister of the First Unitarian Church of Dallas, TX, received a total of 1481 votes, 827 of which were absentee ballots. Morales' margin of victory was 580 votes.

Moderator Gini Courter and Financial Advisor Dan Brody, both incumbents running unchallenged, were re-elected to four-year terms. The congregational delegates to General Assembly also elected two Trustees-at-Large and members of several Association committees and commissions.

Speaking of his aspirations for Unitarian Universalism, Rev. Morales said, "I want to grow our faith, to reach all those people who are looking for non-dogmatic, liberal religious community. I look forward to working with partners in many other progressive and justice-seeking religious groups. There are tremendous issues that we'll be facing in the coming years and we're going to need one another."

Commenting on Rev. Hallman's campaign, Morales said, "The campaign is over. It's time to come together as we always do as a faith community. To get to where we want to go requires all of us, and we need their commitment, their enthusiasm, their passion, and their vision. I also particularly want to say that I fully appreciate Laurel's consistent emphasis on spiritual depth, on the creation of profound covenant in communities, and also her deep passion for retaining our youth and young adults."

Rev. Morales, the first Latino leader of the UUA, will be installed in a ceremony which concludes the General Assembly, at 6:30 p.m. (MDT) on Sunday, June 28. Rev. Morales will succeed Rev. William G. Sinkford who has served two four-year terms as President of the UUA.